Yes you can! 

If you're genuinely interested in international affairs, and are interested in working in a multicultural environment then you can have an incredibly valuable experience working at the UN in the internship programme. 

Your degree doesn't have to be called "International Relations" - the UN works across an enormous range of professional fields. Whatever your degree is, or your area of interest, take a look and apply:

https://untalent.org/jobs/in-anything/contract-internship/anywhere (external link)

 

Step 1: 

Read a real life how-to from Finn Shimmin: https://www.charlescolvingtonfoundation.com/news/post12-0

Step 2:

Check your eligibility, for the UN Secretariat's internship programme, you generally need to be:

• In the final year of your bachelor's degree;
• Enrolled in a master's, PhD or equivalent graduate programme; or
• A recent graduate who can start the internship within one year of graduating.

You also need a strong command of English or French and must meet the programme's other eligibility requirements.

Step 3:

Consider the language requirements, some roles do require additional languages. If you don't have the minimum requirements, check if that role is an option in another location.

Step 4:

Your application needs to be specific.

One of the easiest mistakes to make is writing a generic application that basically says:

"I am passionate about helping make the world a better place and have always admired the United Nations."

Great. So are thousands of other applicants. Read the full job description, pay particular attention to the required competencies and tailor their application and cover letter to the specific position. The Job ID should also be included in the cover letter.

Instead of simply explaining why you love the UN, explain why you think you would be useful to this particular team.

• If the role involves research, talk about your research experience.
• If it involves communications, show how you've written, edited, created content or managed communications projects.
• If it requires data analysis, highlight the tools and projects you've worked with.

Don't underestimate what you already have

You might look at a UN vacancy and think:

"Everyone else applying probably has internships at think tanks, speaks five languages and has already published a policy paper."

Maybe some applicants do but that doesn't mean you shouldn't apply.

Think about your university projects, part-time jobs, volunteering, student societies, research, presentations, writing, language skills and technical abilities.

You don't need to have spent the last three years working in Geneva to demonstrate useful skills. You just need to show how the experience you've gained so far connects to the work you're applying to do.

Step 5:

Consider financials.

The duration of each contract is included in the job description. Factor this into your planning.

Working in a different location can be expensive. The Charles Colvington Foundation can assist Manx students with the cost of travel, accommodation, visas and insurance. Up to £3000 is available to help you undertake this opportunity of a lifetime.